Hair extension

ABSTRACT

A hair extension has a linear fixing member from which hairs perpendicularly branch, arranged in a flat configuration and is formed by two flexible tapes adhered to each other to form a fixing strip, with hairs embedded between the two flexible tapes by a fixing adhesive layer arranged therebetween. The tapes are flexible and made of thermoplastic material provided with a plurality of through holes over the surface thereof. The linear fixing member has at least one uncovered adhesive face provided with a pressure-activated and non-permanent further adhesive layer. The tapes are pressed against each other, so that the hairs and the adhesive material of the fixing adhesive layer are at least partially penetrated into the through holes, and the exposed adhesive face forms a support surface for a plurality of peelable films, each separated from the other by a further non-permanent adhesive layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a permanent or non-permanent hair extension, of the kind particularly used for the thickening of hair. It can be embodied either by a plurality of individual lock-like extension, i.e. a hair extension assembly for thickening hair, or it can be substantially shaped as a weft or layer, known as weft extension.

As thickening of hair here and below it is intended the lengthening and the mass increasing of a human hair, through the application of hair extensions to receiving hairs.

As hair extension it is intended a lock of hairs composed by a plurality of single human or artificial hairs, suitable to be handled as a single lengthening unit and to be applied to receiving hairs thank to a fixing element.

Instead, with reference to the weft extension, it has a linear fixing element from which natural or artificial hairs perpendicularly branch, arranged according to a flat configuration having a uniform density.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Different system for achieving an thickening of hair and also a lengthening thereof are known. Such systems generally adopt hair extensions having natural or artificial origin, which are fixed to the hair according to methods producing, in view of their intended application steps, the acceptance and the satisfaction of the final user requiring the treatment.

Another aspect contributing to the approval increasing for this kind of treatments is the application speed.

Therefore, the known systems provide a step wherein the hair extensions are fixed to user's hair. In this step, the hair extension may be substantially sewn, bound or knotted to user's hair, but this thickening way requires a very long time to be operated, considering that a manual and precise handling is requested for each single hair extension.

Besides, means for fixing hair extensions to hair are known, providing the use of auxiliary member like fasteners, combs, clips and so on. By these members, also large size hair extensions may be associated to user's receiving hair, but with the serious drawback that the fixing remains visible and perceptible to the user himself, receiving a discomfort feeling there through.

Among further known fixing means, some of them allow the link between small size hair extensions and receiving hairs. Such means, involving the use of glues, small fixing elements and the like, permits to achieve more or less good results, but in any case they need lengthy application sessions because the operator must fix each single hair extension which cannot have a large size to not make the connection visible to the user and to other observers.

Similar problems are felt where a gluing system is used applied just in the fixing process, e.g. in the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,387 (Megna) which is particularly burdensome in terms of time, because the adhesive is supplied in a liquid and hot state on the end of each hair extension to be fixed. By the way, the operator must manipulate with the fingers hot adhesive, with a comprehensible discomfort.

Also in U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,867 (Barrington) this kind of methodology is disclosed, wherein the adhesive is provided at the fixing point in a predetermined amount by a glue gun or by a similar applicator. However, in Barrington the adhesive is kept inside a thermoshrinking sleeve allowing the curing and preventing the adhesive to stick to other hairs.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,748 (Trimarchi) the use of a thermocurable adhesive is provided, therefore requiring to be heated after a cold state application.

In these application examples with adhesive in anyway requested a complex handling of several elements: additional hairs, adhesive, sleeve, glue gun, being also additionally time consuming.

Moreover, the cured adhesive realizes a sort of ball or skirt which is clearly felt by the touch, decreasing the comfort level of the methodology, making the fixing element visible and thwarting the desired aesthetic improvement of the thickening.

Another example of this methodology, which became well known for the lock by lock thickening and lengthening, is disclosed in the Japanese patent JP 03152205 (Aderans Co. Ltd.) and in further subsequent patents devoted to improvements of this technique, e.g. the improvement developed by the inventor of the present invention, disclosed in South Africa patent No. ZA 93/5214 and in German patent DE 196 26 107 C.

These citations disclose a thickening element and a related application method wherein a hair extension is fixed to a hair by the application of a thermoplastic adhesive. In this connection, it is apparent how the application remain manual and how it can be unevenly realized extension by extension.

The forced manual character of these methods then implies several problems. First, the operator must have an extensive experience and practice to be able to execute standardized connections, an occurrence which is not always possible. Further, beyond the experience, it is extremely difficult to produce even connections: they will be at least partially different to each other, not exactly located along the lines foreseen for the thickening, having variable quality and size.

All the above causes a not perfect quality of the final application, more exposed to obsolescence and with forcedly uneliminable imperfections, high cost influenced by the very lengthy application and by the uneasy availability of experienced operators.

Moreover, the cured adhesive realizes a sort of ball or skirt which is clearly felt by the touch, decreasing the comfort level of the methodology, making the fixing element visible and thwarting the desired aesthetic improvement of the thickening.

A further improvement has been disclosed in the PCT application No. Publ. WO 02/098250 in the name of the same Applicant and designating the same inventor of the present invention.

In such a document, a method and a hair extension assembly are disclosed, to increase the mass of hair by the bulk application of several hair extensions, using an adhesive tape to correctly position the related fixing elements and then to simultaneously activate them.

Although this system allow to hugely speed up the application of hair extensions, it does not solve the problem of the non perfect connections, resulting in unsatisfying size and possibly even visible.

Similar consideration may be brought on the basis of the PCT application No. Publ. WO 2004/023910 in the name of the same Applicant and designating the same inventor of the present invention.

Finally, a problem detectable in the above mentioned prior art examples is represented by the unsatisfied requirement of being able to decide, at the thickening application stage, whether to make it permanent or to have it applied in a non permanent way.

As a permanent connection it is understood a stable connection, able to resist unaltered for days and weeks, suitable to undergo washing and hair styling. The permanent connection is then eliminated by using suitable non aggressive and hypo allergenic solvents.

As a non permanent connection it is understood a positioning suitable to resist for hours in a sufficiently stable way, but also apt to be easily eliminated by pulling the extensions themselves and apt to allow a possible repositioning or a reuse.

Finally, several kinds of weft extensions are known, wherein the fixing element is generally achieved through sewing or through weaving blocking the hairs in their position. The connection element is then positioned in contact with the hair skin, hidden among the hairs of the receiving hair which are advantageously separated and combed.

The fixing element is then applied to the receiving hairs, a many systems are known for this purpose, using sewing, adhesive, combs, pins and so on.

However, the most relevant problem in the application of this kind of thickening is represented by the thickness of the fixing element, combined with the fixing system.

The latter can be reduced at a minimum thickness e.g. by using an adhesive layer, but the sewn and or woven fixing element should anyway have a weft and a warp suitable to safely keep the hairs secured, in turn inevitably determining a thickness pressed against the hair skin, causing a discomfort feeling.

Further, even in this case, it is extremely difficult to make this kind of thickenings either non-permanent, due to the troubles inherent in the fixing operation, or permanent, mainly for the connection thickness.

Examples of this kind of thickening are disclosed in the US patent applications No. 2009/120,451 A1, No. 2009/032041 A1 and USA No. 2006/169296 and in the German Utility Model No. 20 2005 010 845 U1.

Also the publication of International application No. WO2011/036654 discloses a weft-based thickening system using a thermoplastic connection

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a method for thickening hair, a separator device, a thickening assembly with hair extension and an applicator device apt to be used in said method, allowing to obviate to the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the prior art, generally improving the simultaneous application of hair extensions.

Such a problem is solved by a hair extension as above specified, in which

-   -   the linear fixing member is formed by two tapes adhered to each         other so as to obtain a fixing strip, with hairs embedded         between the two flexible tapes due to a fixing adhesive layer         arranged therebetween;     -   the tapes are flexible and made of thermoplastic material;     -   the tapes are provided with a plurality of passing through holes         all over the surface thereof;     -   the linear fixing member has at least one uncovered adhesive         face provided with a pressure-activated and non-permanent         further adhesive layer; and     -   the tapes has been pressed against each other, so that the hairs         and the adhesive material of the fixing adhesive layer are at         least partially penetrated into said passing through holes.

In the hair extension according to the invention said exposed adhesive face embodies the support surface for a plurality of peelable films, each separated from others by a further non-permanent adhesive layer, the surfaces thereof being apt to be uncovered have, with respect to said layer, an adhesiveness greater than the rear surface of each film, so that said surfaces apt to be uncovered be adhesive surfaces.

Such a further adhesive layer can be applied simply by pressing it. According to an alternative embodiment, such a glue can also be of the thermal curing kind, to possibly obtain a more stable and lasting connection through a heat transfer subsequent to the hair extension application.

According to a further alternative embodiment, the linear fixing member has a further adhesive layer on both the opposite sides thereof; the adhesive layer being simply of the pressure-activated kind on one of these sides, while on the other side the adhesive is of the thermosetting kind, hence intended to used with a heat transfer subsequent to the extension application onto the receiving hair.

The main advantage of the hair extension according to the present invention lies in allowing either a permanent application, carried out by thermowelding of the fixing member, or a non-permanent application, carried out by the outer adhesive layer, which can be identically repeated as many times as the number of available peelable films, then once more when the flexible tapes are directly connected to the receiving hair.

Further, a reduction of the thickness of the tapes is allowed, the of the overall fixing member, the hairs being kept together not only by the adhesive layer but also by their partial penetration into the tape holes, thus increasing the bonding force keeping the hairs together, and decreasing the overall weigh of the connection.

When using a thermosetting adhesive layers, non permanent applications are in turn allowed, but obtained through a stable and lasting connection due to a heat transfer subsequent to the extension application onto the receiving hair, as well as a permanent fixing through a connection obtained by said thermoplastic material.

Coating opposite sides of the fixing member with different glues: pressure activated and thermosetting, allows to achieve with the same extension three different connections: 1) non permanent; 2) non permanent and stable after the thermal curing of the glue; and 3) permanent.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tapes of the fixing member are formed by a network of woven threads, said holes being determined by the network meshes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be hereinafter described according to several preferred embodiments thereof, provided to an exemplificative and non limitative purpose with reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective and exploded view of a first embodiment of the invention of a hair extension according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the hair extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A shows a detail of the hair extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an overall perspective view of the hair extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a side and longitudinal sectional view of the hair extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A shows a detail f the extension of FIG. 1, magnified in FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate the application procedure of the hair extension of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. from 1 to 5C, a hair extension, of the weft or layer shaped kind, is indicate as 1 as a whole.

It has a linear fixing member 2 from which hairs 3 perpendicularly branch, in this embodiment of natural kind, arranged in a flat configuration having a uniform distribution.

The fixing member 2 is formed by two overlapped tapes 4, 5, provided with inner faces facing to each other, adhered to carry out a fixing strip.

Between the two tapes, 4, 5 a first adhesive layer 6 is provided, which can be the result of the justaxposition of respective adhesive layer on each of the adhered faces of the tapes 4, 5. Such a justaxposition is therefore the result of a manufacturing step of the hair extension 1.

Between said tapes 4, 5 the proximal ends 7 of the hairs 3 are entrapped, embedded into the adhesive layer 6.

In the manufacturing step, both the tapes can be provided with hairs arranged with the proximal ends 7 thereof aligned and uniformly distributed on the respective adhesive face of the tape.

The extension 1 is hence the result of the coupling of two hemi-extensions obtained on each tape 4, 5.

Otherwise, the proximal ends 7 of the hairs may be initially applied onto only one of said tapes, the other being simply overlapped and pressed against the first one.

The tapes are formed by strips of thick and flexible material, provided with a plurality of passing through holes on their whole surface, i.e. with a dense foramination extended on the whole surface of each tape.

According to the preferred embodiment herein described, the tapes 4, 5 of the fixing member 2 are formed by a network, composed by intertwined or anyway woven threads, and the holes being therefore constituted by the network meshes.

Such tapes are pressed against each other, so that the hairs 3 and the adhesive material of the adhesive layer are at least partially penetrated inside the network meshes, thus minimizing the overall thickened and increasing the strength by which the hairs are kept between the two tapes.

It should be noted how the proximal ends 7 reach the upper edge of the tapes 4, 5, an arrangement obtainable punching and crushing the tapes and the relative hairs during the manufacturing step.

In this embodiment, the material constituting the tapes is transparent and it is a thermoplastic material.

The transparency allows to more clearly see the application steps and the visual effect obtained even with linear fixing member 2 applied.

The thermoplastic material is a substance apt to be melted at a temperature higher than the room temperature, assuming the properties of a plastic fluid, and then cooling and hence solidifying at room temperature.

Substances with similar properties can be melted through the direct application of mechanical energy, as high frequency vibrations, namely ultrasound vibrations. In such a case, the intermolecular vibration and the corresponding friction produces an amount of heat required to make the molecules plastically flowing. The heat generation immediately stops when the vibrations are stopped, causing a substantially immediate solidification.

Examples of usable substances ad thermoplastic material are polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes and the like.

Therefore, the threads constituting the network can be made in polyester, in Elastam (a polyurethane fibre, Lycra®). An embodiment understood only for a non permanent application may comprise also very fine cotton threads.

The network can have an overall exemplarily thickness of 150 μm, however preferably not beyond 200 μm.

The adhesive material is a very strong adhesive agent, e.g. an acrylic based adhesive agent.

Further, the fixing member 2 has an adhesive side, on one of uncovered faces of tapes 4 or 5. Such an adhesive side has a further adhesive layer of adhesive material, of the non permanent and pressure activated kind, indicated as 8. The purpose of the further adhesive layer 8 is to connect the extension 1 to receiving hairs in a substantially removable way, being the adhesive material non permanent. It allows the re-positioning of the fixing member 3 for several times before losing its adhesive force.

In this connection, the adhesive force linking said further layer 8 and its support surface, i.e. the uncovered face of one of the two tapes 4 or 5, is higher than the connecting force established between the further layer 8 and the receiving hairs and/or the scalp. In this way, the removal of the fixing member 2 from its position onto the hair does not imply a particular discomfort or pain, and it does not cause the loss of receiving hairs.

In the extension according to the present embodiment, said uncovered adhesive face provides the supporting surface not only for said single further adhesive layer 8, but also for a plurality of peeling films 9, each tape-shaped with the same size of the fixing member.

These films can be peeled one-by-one, and they are separated by a respective adhesive layer, always indicated as 8, with adhesive performances corresponding to those previously explained: hence they are non permanent and pressure-operated.

To ensure a continuous adhesiveness, the adhesion force established between the adhesive layer 8 on each film 9 apt to be exposed is higher than the adhesive force established between the adhesive layer and the film back, i.e. the back side of the film covering said surface apt to be exposed.

In other words, the surface apt to be exposed has, with respect to the adhesive layer 8, an adhesiveness higher than the back of the film itself, so that said surfaces apt to be exposed be adhesive surfaces, i.e. so that the peeling of a film does not involve the removal of the adhesive material from the exposed surface of the underlying film 9.

The outer film, i.e. the external film onto the others, works as a protection strip, not having adhesive material onto its exposed surface.

According to an alternative embodiment, one of said adhesive layers 8, e.g. that directly applied onto the linear fixing member 2 and uncoverable by removing all said films 9, comprises a thermosetting glue, i.e. curable by providing the fixing member 2 with heat after the extension has been positioned.

In this way, beside non permanent and easily removable applications, such an additional adhesive layer can be used for non permanent applications but anyway stable and resistant, i.e. intended to be long-lasting.

According to a further alternative embodiment, on one of the faces of the fixing member 2 adhesive layers 8 and respective films are provided, the glue of said adhesive layer being of the simplest kind, pressure operated for temporary applications.

On the opposite side, the same configuration as previously explained can be repeated, with one or more adhesive layers and with corresponding one or more protective films.

The glue forming these further adhesive layers can be thermosetting, to be used as previously explained.

In this way, three different connections are allowed: 1) non permanent; 2) non permanent and stable after the thermal curing of the glue; and 3) permanent.

For the applications of the weft extension as previously described, the following steps can be operated:

The receiving hairs are raised so as to bare a linear segment of hair skin having a length at least equal to that of the linear fixing member 2 (FIG. 5A).

The latter, stripped of the protection strip, is pressed on the receiving hairs, arranging the upper edge 10 of the extension nearly in contact with the hair skin (FIG. 5B) and determining the adhesion of the uncovered adhesive layer.

In this way, a simplified and long lasting application is achieved, at the same time removable, i.e. non-permanent, then the hairs previously raised can be appropriately combed (FIG. 5C).

The thickness of the fixing member, whose transversal size is obviously magnified in the drawings, is uniform and unperceivable to the touch.

The same steps can be repeated with the same extension, until the adhesive force of the uncovered adhesive layer allows to do so. Then, the same operation can be repeated removing the outer film 9, so as to uncover a further adhesive layer.

The latter can be possibly thermosetting, to be used therefore for a connection similar to the preceding ones, but stable and long-lasting.

The same above described hair extension can be made permanent simply removing all the films 9, positioning the linear fixing member using the inner adhesive layer, i.e. that directly adhered onto the tapes 4, 5, and then applying, on the linear fixing member, an adequate pressure and heat so as to temporarily melt the threads in thermoplastic material.

An embodiment of applicator device which is suitable to this purpose is disclosed in the PCT application No. WO 2003/061416, wherein the pressing member has a shape apt to cover the whole linear fixing member.

Energy in the form of ultrasound frequency vibration may be used instead of heat, e.g. frequencies in the range from 20 to 60 kHz. In this case, one or both the pressing members will be linked to a vibrating device, e.g. a piezoelectric member supplied with alternate voltage at a desired frequency, and they will transmit the vibration to the fixing member 2.

In this case, it should be noted how the vibration supply allow the molecules of the fixing member 2 in thermoplastic material to easily flow among the single hairs of the hair extension and of the receiving hairs, permeating and mixing with them.

The applicator device is preferably operated at a constant pressure, not depending upon the thickness of what received between the pliers-like pressing members. The pressure is exerted for a predetermined time, uniformly along the linear fixing member length.

The material of the films 9 can be transparent, possibly elastic like that of the previously described tapes 4, 5. The thickness of the films will be kept at the minimum, just to not increase the involved overall thickness.

It is understood that the hairs 3, instead of being arranged in a weft, they can be arranged in discrete locks, separated to each other, the proximal ends thereof being equidistant along the linear fixing member 2. The latter can be formed as previously explained.

Therefore, the extension herein described can be easily transformed in several individual extensions, each individually applicable according to any of the operations as previously disclosed, either non permanently or permanently.

Hence, it is understood that the permanent application of the single extension can be achieved with a plier-like instrument providing the single connection element with pressure and heat and/or mechanical energy through ultrasonic vibrations.

Finally, it is understood that the above described extension could not be arranged for a permanent application. In this case, the material forming the flexible tapes 4, 5 and then eventually the respective network could not be thermoplastic.

To the above described hair extension a man skilled in the art, in order to meet further and contingent requirements, can introduce several change and variations, anyway all falling within the protection scope of the present invention, as defined by the annexed claims. 

1. Hair extension (1), of the kind used for the thickening of hair, has comprising a linear fixing member (2) from which hairs (3) perpendicularly branch, arranged in a flat configuration, wherein: the linear fixing member (2) is formed by two flexible tapes (4, 5) adhered to each other so as to obtain a fixing strip, with hairs embedded between the two flexible tapes (4, 5) due to a fixing adhesive layer (6) arranged therebetween; the tapes (4, 5) are provided with a plurality of through holes arranged about a surface thereof; the linear fixing member (2) comprises at least one uncovered adhesive face provided with a pressure-activated and non-permanent further adhesive layer (8); and the tapes (4, 5) being pressed against each other, so that the hairs (3) and the adhesive material of the fixing adhesive layer (6) are at least partially penetrated into said through holes the uncovered adhesive face providing a support surface for a plurality of peelable films (9), each being separated from one another by a further non-permanent adhesive layer (8), the surfaces thereof being configured to be uncovered comprise, with respect to said layer (8), an adhesiveness greater than the rear surface of each film (9), so that said surfaces configured to be uncovered be are adhesive surfaces.
 2. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flexible tapes (4, 5) are comprised of a thermoplastic material.
 3. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flexible tapes (4, 5) of the linear fixing member (2) are both formed by a network of woven threads, the through holes being determined by the network meshes, the threads being comprised of a thermoplastic material.
 4. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein proximal ends (7) of the hair reach the an upper edge of the flexible tapes (4, 5).
 5. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tape and film material are comprised of a transparent material.
 6. Hair extension (1) according to claim 5 wherein said material is polyester or polyurethane based.
 7. Hair extension (1) according to claim 3, wherein the network has an overall thickness not greater than 200 μm.
 8. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive fixing layer (6) is an acrylic based adhesive.
 9. Hair extension (1) according to, which is claim 1, further comprising a weft extension, wherein hairs (3) are evenly distributed along said linear fixing member (2).
 10. Hair extension (1) according to claim 8, wherein the hairs (3) are provided in the form of individual lock-like extension in which the hairs are joined in distinct and separated locks, the proximal ends thereof being equidistant to each other along the linear fixing member (2).
 11. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said further adhesive layers (8) comprise a thermosetting glue.
 12. Hair extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein said linear fixing member (2) comprises, on both opposed sides thereof, a further adhesive layer (8), on one of said sides, the adhesive layer comprising a thermosetting glue. 